Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-16

w AOa1INO1O lie Css
THE ssDELINQUENT,, WATER TAXES
Ex.water Registrar Crane Discusses
| the Situation Again.
he CITES CASES IN roNr-rAxEs CHANGED AeAns,
| PERSONS WHO HAD THEIR OWN WATER MANs-HI
| REPLIES TO Mr.. DoND-THR INCREASE OF wArII
| RATES, ETC.
To the Editor Of The EVENING star:
I am glad to see that my esteemed friend ex
Water Registrar 8. r. Bond, has promptly cor
rected mistake he made In THE STAR OF the 9th
inst, in regard to the number of water takers In
this city. He overlooked the law requiring the
water registrar to grant permits to supply two
or more houses from the same tap. When left
the ONCE the water-takers were In excess Of water
taps 17&
Idesire to thank my friend for the figures that
prove my assertion that there is great deficiency
| In water rents He quotes from Mr. Cox to make
| point against me, but, as usual his weapon
proves to be more enectual at the breech than the
takers in 1850 were 49, $40, and the receipts from
water rents as estimated by Mr. COX, 81 COS. Is,
This makes the average for each subscriber frac.
ton less than $500, just what state it should be
now, instead OF $3.50, as shown by last years re-
port. This proves shortage in water rents last
year OF over $751; But let US be charitable
with my friend. One accustomed as he is to dwell
in the clear blue ether Of the poet should not be
neld 10 Zoo strict accuracy when he descends to
engage In mortal affairs
DELINQUENT WATERMAN TAXES"
There are several important matters connected
with the water question that I was obliged to
omit In my communication to THE STAR OF the I'd
inst, which, II you will allow me space, will
now Nr consider der; with as much 6revty as possible
miSsionerS are now sending to citizens through
the mails, in large numbers, and which they term
for assessments recently made against property
on which no water mains abut, the owners OF
which property were granted permission many
hundred feet from their property, aud, In most
instances at twice or three times the cost Of a
fore me many such bills, some of which reveal q
condition OF things that is truly astounding.
some ten OF hIteen years ago permission was
and 1897 18th street northwest on which no water
man was laid to tap the main on Madison street,
south OF them, and run service pipe up the alley
TO the rear OF their houses. They each paid an
equal proportion OF the cost of laying the pipe.
They have paid water rent regularly ever since,
and have never been asked until the past few days
to pay water tax, the expense OF getting the
water the way they did being greater than their
proportion Of what water main in front OF their
respective houses would have cost. The Madison
street main that they were permitted to tap was
assessed against the property on which 1t abuts,
and eacn esg
against their land, while the owner OF house No.
l5SS, residing between the other two, received no
such bill. Being widow lady, and feeling anxious
10 know II there was any unpaid taxes standing
against her property, she visited the water ONCE,
where she was assured that there was nothing on
the books against her. Here Is a case OF three
people living side by side, all OF whom contributed
selves with water. Two are presented with bills
for water main, while the other Is repeatedly told
that there is nothing against her.
ANOTHER CASE IN POINT.
In 1872 q water main was laid out street east
to 18th street. Mr.. Geo. N. Holland who keeps q
store on the corner OF street. extended,
and the Bladensburg road, which is in the
county, applied to Captain Hoxie when the
said main was being laid, to have it extended
refused, but he was told by Capt. Hoxie that
II he chose he could tap the main at its terminus,
distance , OF goo rect, at his Own expense. This
eight years after this main laid he applied at
the commissioners ONCE to know II there were
any taxes OF any nature standing against his prop
erty. He received the following certificate:
OFFICE OF THE TREASURER AND ASSESSOR, D. c.,
,,or., .r.,,r .,.. W. WASHINGTON, July 26, 1850.
and assessments Of this Office for he years 1871 to
ssSw s shsi ths On ,he
10 100 acres lot IL Columbia turnpike CO.. Wash.
ns0n County, Name asaiant
Then follows a similar certificate from VIM.
Oscar Roome, chief OF special assessment division.
and another from the water registrars once,
WATER RKAsrRAR's OFFICE
1bs,e,v cer,,v thu. WAsH I'M July 26 1882
this ha Of b ee
there no assessment for water mains in the county
IRWIN MULLICAN, for Water Registrar.
For these three certificates which are all on one
sheet OF paper, and OF same date, and bearing the
corporation seal, Mr.. Holland paid so cents.
Now, after lapse OF fifteen years, MI. Holland
receives the following notice:
OFDloR OF THE CoMxIssIoNERs
u DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON. June 20, 1887.
10 ''0 i 1850 6SA Il sf;eet .z1endsa northeast;
owned or controlled by you
No: house 1900: containing Soss square ssst. for
main on street smount q "a. sS3 81 and that
quired by law No premises on which the watsr-main
suppy Of os Wssr Is
It H ss9nste re, that the tax be paid or
The year ends with June 80 and return should
therefore be made at once.
Captain of Engineers
1t will be observed that, while the threat is not
bill Is not paid, there Is running all through this
singular document hints that such win be the
case.
There are two incorrect statements In this letter.
First, that this tax is required by law;" second
that mo premises on which the Waterman tax
has not been paid are entitled to receive water
No such law exists, unless the Commissioners
have recently made such law, in which case It
would be their duty to declare the old law repealed
and announce the new one.
The law provides for "a tax Of IL cents per
square foot on all property on any street. avenue.
or alley on which water main abuts" AS the
water main that MI. Holland Is now, for the frst
time In fifteen years, called upon to pay for does
not abut in any way on his property, and Is 300
feet from 1t, the law does not apply to him. The
law provides for sale OF property for nOn-payment
OF Waterman tax, and not for cutting on the
water, as one would infer from Capt. SymOns' Ian
guage.
But what does this threatening letter amount "a.
anyway? Capt. SymOnS is eStOpped from any
further proceeding by the certificate that
Mr.. Holland holds. which Capt. SymOns cannot 20
behind.
Mr.. jeremiah Wilt, who owns lots Is and 16. ad.
Joining Mr.. Holland, and who receives water in
the same way, has received one OF said threaten
ing letters. Mr.. Wilt holds two certificates each
bearing date April %, 1887, and signed by WIN.
Morgan, VIM. Oscar ROOme, j. Hill Cross, and JnO
r. Cook and bearing the corporation seal for
which he paid fifty cents each, which certificates
state that there are no taxes standing unpaid
against his property. These certificates were
owing a Waterman tax now he was owing it
then. How happens 1t that the books OF the ONCE
did not then show it,
THE PHILADELPHIA ROW.
Nearly quarter OF century ago application
was made by the company that built the Phila-
delphia Row for water main on 18th street
southeast. Mr.. Wallach, who was then mayor.
had not funds to enable him to comply with the
request, so he gave permit for them TO tan the
Government main at intersection of Pennsyiyania